Felly and rim construction



July 7, 1931. E. A. NELSON FELLY AND RIM' CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 28.1927 ll. v

Patented July 7,-1931 i i Y i 1 UNITED STATES 4PAJITENTfol-"F1cla; g i

EMIL A. NELSON, oF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR To MOTOR WHEELCORPORATION,

or LANSING, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OEMIOHIGAN EELLY AND RIMCONSTRUCTION Application filed September 28, 1927.' Serial No. 222,434.

the spoke ends and a rigid seat for the rim.

By my invention I avoid this disadvantageous condition by soconstructing the partsV entering the spoke-felly-rim assembly that theirfunctions are in a measure combined, with consequent reduction of weightand increased simplicity of operation.

Several embodiments of' the invention are set forth in the` accompanyingdrawings, wherein the tire-carrying rim is made to serve the function ofa spoke-anchoring felly. InY

these drawings,

through modified forms of structures in ac# cor'dance with theinvention; and e.

Figs. 5 and 7 are fragmentaryv sections taken at right angles to Figs. 4and 6 respec- 2'5 tively. e f

In the structures illustrated by way of eX- ample, and havingreferencefirst to that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the rim` is ofthe drop base type, the base 11 having at the rear an integral fixedtire-retaining flange 12 and is apertured and outwardly flanged atintervals corresponding to the location of the spokes as indicated at 13to receive the tenons 14 of the spokes 15. The rim base is upturnedalong its forward edge as indicated at 16 to form a gutter 17 for thereception ofthe removable tire-retaining ring or flange 18. The drapbase of' the rim is adopted tO receive a metal band 19 encircling thespoke ends to form af shield and support for the tire tube, this shieldbeing flush with the tire seat formed by thev portions 20 of the rim and21 of the detachable ring.

The rim structure illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings comprises a dropbase rim, the

base 22 being apertured and outwardly.

flanged as illustrated at 23 to receive the tenons 14 of the spokes 15,the rim being ,provided with a rear fixed tireiretaining flange 24. Inthis instance that portion of :the gutter 26 for the reception of the re5 primarily due to the. Inovable tire-retaining,rin

necessity of providing a firm anchorage for`V Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 aretransverse sections and the removable tire-retaining ring lor vflange44. This riinbase is apertured Lat vpoints corresponding to thellocation of the spokes, the aperture being adapted to receive the rim infrontof the spoke seat, instead of extending forward in the plane of therim base, is rebent outwardlyas indicated at 25 and then'downwardlyandoutwardly to form g or flange 27. In this instance a symmetricallyvformed band 28 is seated within the drop base of the rim, encirclingspoke ends, to form a shield and support for thetire tube flush with thetire sea-ts 25, 29 and 30. f

` In Fig. 3 the drop lbase 31 is riveted asindioated at 32 to the rimkbase proper 33 which has at the'rear a rigid tire-retainingv flange 34.The rim base 33 terminates forwardly short of the location' of a fronttire retaining flange, overlying and forming a shieldfor the tenons 34ofthe spokes 35` which are seated in apertures kflanged at 36; The dropbase 31 of the rim is'upturned `at 37 to form a gutter 38 for thereception of the removable 4tire-retaining ring or flange 39, the tireseat 40 on the removable ring being flush with Y the base 33 ofthe rim.f

As illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, above described, it will beobservedthat the drop base of the rim forms Ain effect aV felly vwithinwhich the tenons ofthe spokes are received 'and anchored, this drop baseextending cir-v culnferentially of the wheel. :In the ems0 bod'iments ofthe invention now tofbe' -de-4 scribed with reference to Figs. 4to 7inclusivevv there is no drop base but the function of the felly isperformed by the rim itself, the spokes being seated directly in therimbase.`

The structureillustrated inFigs. 4 and 5 is an adaptation ofthe ordinaryQ. D. riin having the cylindrical base 41', the integral reartire-retaining flange 42, `the gutter 43 a metal ferrule 45 fitted abouta spoke tenon 46 and flanged to form a seat 47 upon the shoulder of thespokev 48.` This ferrule is flanged over from the position indicated indotted'lines at V49 to the position shown in full lines at 50, whereby asecure interlock is formed between the spoke ferrule and thev rim. Therim base is slightly depressed about the apertures to accommodate theflanged-over portion 50 of the ferrule to constitute a surface flushwith the tire seat on the base 4l.

A similar type oi rim is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 Herein the metal of therim is inwardly flanged about the apertures as indicated at 51 While thespoke ferrule extends about the spoke end at 52 inwardly about the tenenas indicated at 53 laterally to seat upon the spoke shoulder asindicated at 54 and then outwardly at 55, the annular space between theferrule portions 53 and 55 serving to accommodate the flanged portion 5lof the rim and whereby .a secure interlock is effected.

In all of the embodiments illustrated and described, a considerablesaving of weight of metal is accomplished about the periphery of thewheel, the spolie-T'elly-rim construction is simplified and theassen'lbly of the parts facilitated.

I claim:

l. A tire-carrying rim comprising a cylindrical tire-seating rim basehaving an upwardly extending permanent tire-retaining flange at the rearand terminating forwardly short of the location of a fronttire-retaining melnber, a felly secured to the underside of thecylindrical rim base and upturned at its front to provide a glitterbeneath and in advance of the front edge oit the cylindrical rim base, aremovable tire-retaining ring` seated Within the gutter and having atire-seating portion disposed substantially flush with and forming ineffect a forward continuation of the cylindrical rim base.

2. In a felly .and rim construction, a tirecarrying rim comprising acylindrical tireseating rim base having an upwardly eX- tendingpermanent tire-retaining` iiange at the rear and terminating forwardlyshort of the location of a front tire-retaining member, a felly securedto the underside of the cylindrical rim base and upturned at its frontto provide a gutter beneath and in advance or' the front edge of thecylindrical rim base, a removable tire-retaining ring' seated within thegutter and having a tireeseating portion disposed substantially flush.with and forming in effect a forward continuation oit the cylindricalrim base, the ifelly apertured at intervals corresponding to thelocation of spokes, spokes having tenons seated within the apertures andhaving` their ends terminating inwardly of and beneath the cylindricalrim base, the said cylindrical rim base forming a shield between thetire tube and the spoke ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EMIL A. NELSON.

